This invention relates generally to remotely controlled unmanned aircraft; and more particularly to hand launchable aircraft, the components of which are easily assembled in the field, or disassembled so as to fit in a small size package, the aircraft carrying sensor instrumentation for terrain surveillance. The aircraft is inherently stable and therefore simple to operate, and an autonomous "deep-stall" landing mode requires no piloting skills.
There is a need for small size aircraft of the type described, which will enable data transmission from a sensor such as a television camera carried on board the aircraft, the data to be transmitted by radio frequency, fiber optic cable, or similar means and received by a ground receiver, as for example at the point of launch. Such as an aircraft must be capable of transport in a small size container to the point of launch, then quickly assembled and launched, for data retrieval.